Alley, Robert S. School Prayer. The Court, The Congress and the First Amendment.
Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books, 1994.
A strong proponent of strict separation of church and state, Alley makes a strong case that James Madison, author of the first amendment, was also. His thesis is that the leaders of the so-called religious right, since the landmark
Engel v. Vitale
prayer decision, have fostered intolerance toward those opposing school prayer.
Alley, Robert S. Without a Prayer. Religious Expression in the Public Schools.
Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books, 1996.
This is the companion book to Alley’s School Prayer volume. In it he asks the question, “What’s wrong with a little prayer?” His book documents the intimidating experiences that individuals who have challenged local prayer statutes have had to deal with.
Carter, Stephen L. The Culture of Disbelief: How American Law and Politics Trivialize
Religious Devotion. New York: McMillan, 1993.
Yale Law School professor’s provocative book about the effects that our highly secularized society is having on religion in general and persons of faith in particular.
Are we losing respect for persons who seek to practice their freedom of religion openly?
Cremin, Lawrence A. American Education: The Colonial Experience, 1607-1783.
New York: Harper and Row, 1970.
The authoritative work on American colonial education; stresses the influence of Biblical ideals as foundational to the colonial schools. Included in Cremin’s 688-page book is a 90-page bibliographical essay. Part 1 of a 3-part series, all published by Harper and Row.
Fraser, James. W. Between Church and State. Religion and Public Education in a
Multicultural America. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1999.
One of the major sources for my research. Fraser is an educator concerned with public school issues such as diversity, freedom of religious expression, and the expanding roles of Congress and the Supreme Court in schools and the effect on curriculum. The book begins in the 1600s and ends with a chapter on 21st century issues such as school vouchers and creationism. There are 25 pages of notes and annotated bibliography.
Larson, Edward J. Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’s Continuing
Debate Over Science and Religion. New York: BasicBooks, 1997.
A readable and well-documented book that analyzes the historical context of the “Trial of the Century” the persons involved and then moves to the modern debate over the teaching of creationism in public schools. Includes discussion of the historical inaccuracies in the Spencer Tracy film
Inherit
the Wind
and almost forty pages of notes and sources.
Levy, Leonard. The Establishment Clause. Religion and the First Amendment. New
York: McMillan, 1986.
Sometimes technical in his arguments and his search for precise definition of legal terms and concepts, Levy is often critical of the Supreme Court when its decisions have the effect of “making law” rather than just interpreting it. He is fascinated with the Founders’ ideas of “original intent” and discusses Madison and Jefferson’s views of the “wall of separation” between church and state.
Nord, Warren A. Religion & American Education: Rethinking a National Dilemma.
Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1995.
Suggests appropriate ways to approach the issues of religion and public education in today’s multicultural society.
The National Academy of Sciences. Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of
Science. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 1998.
An instructive report for science teachers on ways to teach the theory of evolution allowing for students with strong religious viewpoints.
Urofsky, Melvin I. Religious Freedom. Rights and Liberties Under the Law. Santa
Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, Inc., 2002.
A comprehensive and readable 400-page volume that is part of the “America’s Freedoms” series. The author includes case summaries and court opinions in nearly all of the cases discussed in this teaching unit, a table of cases, and an excellent annotated bibliography. The documents section features thirty Primary Source documents that span 375 years of American history. Could be used as a high school textbook.
